Skip to content

Neo soul drum pattern

Drunk, behind-the-beat swing; nothing perfectly on the grid. Here are its drums on a step grid, at the tempo it starts at, to hear and to change.

82 BPM · Breakbeat kit · 2 bars · 60% swing

The pattern, step by step

Each step is a sixteenth note, four to a beat: step 1 is beat 1, 5 is beat 2, 9 is beat 3 and 13 is beat 4. A lit square is a hit; a fainter one is played softer.

  • Hit
  • Softer hit
The neo soul drum pattern: the steps each drum plays, bars 1 and 2
DrumBar 1Bar 2
Open hat11 (soft)–
Closed hat1, 3 (soft), 5, 7 (soft), 9, 13, 15 (soft)1, 3 (soft), 5, 7 (soft), 9, 11 (soft), 13, 15 (soft)
Snare8 (soft), 10 (soft), 16 (soft)8 (soft), 10 (soft), 16 (soft)
Cross-stick5, 135, 13
Kick1, 7, 111, 4, 9, 12
Open these drums in the editor

They open as one drum lane on a step grid, at 82 BPM. No account needed to start.

How neo soul drums go

A loose kick, a laid-back snare or rim on 2 and 4, swung hats; Dilla-style unquantized timing.

The bass, chords and sounds are on the Neo-Soul page.

Questions about neo soul drums

What BPM is neo soul?

Usually 70 to 100 BPM. This pattern plays at 82 BPM.

How do you make a neo soul drum pattern?

Start with the kick on steps 1, 7 and 11, the snare on steps 8, 10 and 16, the cross-stick on steps 5 and 13, the closed hi-hat on steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13 and 15 and the open hi-hat on step 11, then follow the grid for bar 2. Each step is a sixteenth note, four to a beat: step 1 is beat 1, 5 is beat 2, 9 is beat 3 and 13 is beat 4. Open it in the free editor to change any step.

Do neo soul drums swing?

Yes, about 60% swing: every second step comes a little late, so the groove bounces. The editor plays it that way, and its Steps view can change it.

More R&B drum patterns

R&BSlow jam R&BNew jack swing

Make a neo soul beat

The free editor opens with a whole neo soul beat: drums, bass and chords, each part yours to change, add to or take away.

Make a neo soul beatAll drum patterns

Keep going